The Campbell House Museum is located at 160 Queen St W (at University Ave on the northwest corner) in downtown Toronto.
The Architecture of the Historic Home
The Georgian-era home was built in 1822 by Sir William Campbell. It’s the only remaining residential structure from the Town of York. Originally located on the north side of Adelaide St E (once Duke St) at the top end of Frederick St, the 2½-storey Palladian architecture home features a symmetrical south façade and a pediment gable with an oval window.
About Sir Campbell
Sir William Campbell played a key role in the early history of the city and province. Born in Scotland in 1758, he first studied law, then became a soldier. Sir Campbell moved to Nova Scotia, becoming a lawyer and politician. In 1811, he and his family moved to the Town of York (then Upper Canada) as the British crown gave him a judgeship. He was the 6th Chief Justice of Upper Canada and the first judge in Canada to receive a knighthood.
The Home After the Campbell’s
After 1900, the home was occupied by various businesses and by the 1960s, the house was facing demolition. The property owners, Coutts-Hallmark Greeting Cards, wanted to extend their parking lot and offered the home to anyone who could remove it. The Advocates Society, a lawyers association, formed the Sir William Campbell Foundation in order to save the house. The Foundation, along with the City and Canada Life Insurance Company, entered into an agreement to move the home to the northwest corner of Queen St West and University Ave.
On the Move
On March 31, 1972, the 200-ton heritage house made the slow trek on dollies with 56-wheels. There was much media coverage. Traffic lights and signs had to be taken down along the 1.6 km path.
A year later, the Campbell House was one of the 490 buildings on Heritage Toronto’s initial induction list.
The Campbell House Today
The protection of the home was the start of the historic preservation effort in the city. The grounds of the historic Campbell House Museum also feature Relic Park. It’s a permanent exhibition called Lost & Found with fragments from Toronto’s lost buildings (similar to the rescued relics at Guild Inn Estate). Along with museum events and exhibits, the Campbell House is available for private functions.
Campbell House Museum Photos
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 160 Queen St W
- Ontario Heritage Trust: 160 Queen St W
- Campbell House Museum
- Heritage Toronto (plaque)
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives & Toronto Public Library
